At 19, he chose to enter the NBA draft after failing to reach the minimum score on the SAT necessary for a division I scholarship.

The Minnesota Timberwolves made Garnett the fifth pick of the NBA Draft.

Ten years later, the NBA banned high school players from the draft and players like Greg Oden and Kevin Durant had to go to college for one year.

Garnett's 3-year, $US5.4 million rookie contract was modest by today's standards and he made just $US1.6 million his rookie season.

Garnett was incredibly lucky to be drafted in 1995 which came during a brief period in which players were granted free agency after just 3 years.

This allowed Garnett to sign a 6-year, $US126 million extension during the 1997-98 season at the age of 21.

With Garnett's contract a major factor, the NBA changed the rules on rookie contracts and put a cap on player salaries, but not until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached following the 1999 lockout.

SOURCE: 'The Wages of Wins'

By the final year of that deal, Garnett was making $US28 million per year.

More importantly, Garnett was just 27 years old, was in the midst of his only MVP season, and was about to become a free agent for a second time.

This led to his second $US100 million contract extension with the Timberwolves, a 5-year deal worth exactly $US100 million.

After the third year of that contract, Garnett was traded to the Celtics having already made $US186.4 million with the Timberwolves. He was just 31 years old.

The Celtics immediately gave Garnett a 3-year, $US51.3 million extension to be added to the two years remaining on his last deal with the T'wolves.